1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a data output system and a data output apparatus, and more particularly to a data output system and a data output apparatus capable of transrmitting and printing a desired data among stored data.
2. Description of the Related Art
A device attaining a print function such as an MFP (Multi Function Peripherals) or a printer has conventionally been used. Image data is stored in a server, from which data is downloaded and printed out by the MFP or the like.
When data in a server is to be printed at a remote location, a password is set for the data, for example.
As to a technology for data transmission, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-169187 discloses a technique to obtain a device address of a portable telephone, by indicating the device address thereof by a barcode for display on a liquid crystal display, picturing the bar code with a camera, and processing image information thereof in a CPU in the camera.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2002-352190 discloses such a technique that a portable telephone causes image data of an object pictured by a camera to be displayed on a display, a range of character area contained in the image data is designated by using a key input portion, and the image data and information on the designated range of character area is transmitted to an image processing server through a communication network. An image processing server recognizes characters contained in the image data received from the portable telephone with its internal character recognition function, and converts the characters into text data, which is in turn transmitted to the portable telephone. The portable telephone receives the text data transmitted from the image processing server.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-207301 discloses such a technique that a PC (personal computer) is equipped with a digital camera, with which an image including textual information is picked up, the textual information is cut out from the picked up image and thereafter subjected to OCR (optical character reading), and a mail address is recognized if there is @ mark found. When a mail address is recognized, a message “Do you want to designate this address as a destination?” is displayed. If an OK key is pressed, mailer software starts up and a screen for new mail transmission is shown. After a desired text is input, the mail is transmitted:
On the other hand, when data from the server is to be printed out from the conventional MFP, a security setting or a user operation has been complicated. In particular, when data is to be output from an MFP installed in a convenience store, for example, it is necessary to prohibit a third party from printing data. In contrast, if a complicated operation such as input of a password is required, it is less convenient for a user.